Stuart Truck Accident Lawyer
Truck accidents are often horrific scenes of twisted metal and unrecognizable vehicles. The injuries sustained to the occupants of those vehicles can be equally devastating and life-altering. If you were injured in a truck accident in Florida, our experienced Stuart truck accident lawyers can determine if you have a case to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Our experienced injury attorneys offer free case reviews and we earn a fee only if we are successful in making a recovery of compensation on your behalf.
Causes of Truck Accidents
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted a study from 2001 to 2003 in order to determine the causes of truck accidents in the United States. In 2007 they released a report on the findings entitled “The Large Truck Causation Study.” The study examined 967 crashes involving 1,127 large trucks that resulted in 352 fatalities and many other injuries. Analysis of the results found some consistent problems that persist to this day.
- Drug Use: Drug use was the most common contributing factor. Prescription drugs or illicit drugs were found to be a cause in 26% of the crashes studied. Over-the-counter medications contributed to 18 percent of the crashes.
- Driver Fatigue: Often assumed to be the largest cause of crashes, driver fatigue was present in 13 percent of the accidents studied. Even though it is not as common as expected, driver fatigue is still the cause of many truck accidents. Distracted driving was also a common cause.
- Speeding: In 23 percent of accidents, speeding was the cause. The force of impact increases with each mile of increased speed, causing more severe crashes that often result in death.
Determining Negligence
Some of the most common causes of truck accidents related to someone’s negligence are:
- Driver fatigue
- Inexperienced driver
- Reckless driver
- Unbalanced cargo
- Overloading
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
- Defective truck components
In order to operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV), drivers must earn and maintain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) from the State of Florida. The certification process teaches truck drivers the safe practices of driving these large trucks (weighing up to 80,000 lbs), including:
- Awareness of large blind spots on either side of the truck as well as immediately in front
- Mandatory rest periods after driving for a certain amount of time
- Maintenance of equipment and components (brakes, tires, etc.)
Regardless of this training, accreditation and legally-enforced guidelines, negligent and careless driving accounts for the majority of all truck-related accidents.
Responsible Parties in a Tractor-Trailer Accident
Although a truck driver can be the person responsible for the accident, there are in fact several other potentially liable parties, such as:
- Truck driver’s employer
- Owner of the truck
- Owner of the cargo or cargo container
After a truck accident in which you were injured, the claim process can be complex and overwhelming, partly because of the number of potentially at-fault parties. These claims are further complicated by the swiftness with which the trucking company’s insurance carrier will act to protect the trucking company. The insurance company may try to get you to accept a settlement quickly, or they may work aggressively to put the blame on you.
Our tractor-trailer accident attorneys in Stuart have decades of experience handling these types of cases, and they do not back down to powerful insurance companies. We put all of our skills and resources to work in building a strong case for you to get the compensation you need and deserve.
Contacting a Stuart Truck Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in a tractor-trailer accident in or around South Florida, or if a loved one was killed in one of the types of wrecks, call a Stuart truck accident lawyer to learn about your legal options.